Canucks Game Day: Ryan Kesler out at least two weeks as Capitals, Ovechkin await

Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun columnist03.14.2014

The Vancouver Canucks will severely miss the skill and leadership of Ryan Kesler when they face the Washington Capitals on Friday in D.C. The Canucks' star centre is sidelined at least two weeks with a knee injury sustained Wednesday in Winnipeg against the Jets.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The math was already bleak for the Vancouver Canucks, who will try to keep themselves in the playoff race while missing another prime number tonight against the Washington Capitals (4 p.m. PT, Sportsnet Pacific, Team 1040).

Canucks coach John Tortorella revealed this morning that No. 17 Ryan Kesler will miss at least two weeks with a sprained knee suffered Wednesday in Winnipeg when checked illegally by the Jets' Jim Slater.

The Canucks, however, will have winger Zack Kassian back from suspension to face the Capitals, who are equally desperate and struggling nearly as much as Vancouver.

Indicative of the teams' problems this season, the game could feature a matchup of two of the worst and most surprising “minus” players in the National Hockey League: minus-27 Washington star Alex Ovechkin against minus-28 Vancouver defenceman Alex Edler — 842nd and 844th, respectively, among 845 NHL players.

Ordinarily, Kesler would be assigned to shut down Ovechkin, who has 44 goals this season despite his defensive liabilities at even strength.

“You guys see how I use him and how important he is to the team,” Tortorella said after the Canucks' morning skate. “Nothing you can do about it.

“It's a sprained knee and he's out at least a couple of weeks. We're not sure how it goes from there, but at least a couple of weeks. Knowing Kes — I talked to him after the game. I talked to him last night ... after he saw the doctor back in Van — knowing him, he wants to play tonight. But I think it's going to be at least a couple of weeks.”

Kesler was sent back to Vancouver after Wednesday's game.

Canucks general manager Mike Gillis, who was expected to await his team's weekend arrival in Florida after attending NHL meetings there this week, has also gone back to Vancouver.

That would seem to remove some of the tension from the daily job-watch on Tortorella, whose team is 7-17-4 since Dec. 29 but has managed to win two of its last three games. The Capitals, 10-13-6 since Dec. 28 and also out of a playoff spot, have lost five of six games.

With 15 games remaining, the Canucks are four points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference and have three fewer games remaining the Dallas Stars' team they're trying to catch. A 6-1 loss in Dallas last Thursday deepened the Canucks’ crisis.

“Obviously, we know we have to put a pretty good record together, but it's a little daunting if you look at it as a whole,” winger Chris Higgins said. “You just try to keep your focus small and worry about the next game.”

And missing Kesler, who leads all NHL forwards with an average ice time of 22:08?

“It's a hole that's impossible to fill with one guy,” Higgins said. “His game touches all areas of our game, so a number of people are going to have to step up.”

Cue Kassian, the 23-year-old power forward who suffered more growing pains when he drilled Stars defenceman Brenden Dillon between the numbers last week, earning a three-game suspension.

“I made a split decision and dealt with my punishment,” Kassian said. “It was tough watching. But the big win in Winnipeg was huge for us and I'm just excited to come back and help the team any way possible. I'm going to play exactly the same way but, at the same time, just need to be a little smarter.”

• PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Canucks: In Game 36, RW Alex Burrows scored his first goal of the season in Winnipeg, then soon scored his second. The Canucks need the floodgates to open.

Capitals: Love him for his skill or chide him for his defensive shortcomings and history of losing, LW Alex Ovechkin is probably the NHL's most exciting player.

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Canucks Game Day: Ryan Kesler out at least two weeks as Capitals, Ovechkin await

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